SOVIET ARMY ENCIRCLING TOWN OF KRIVOI ROG

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 88, Issue 35, 11 February 1944, Page 5

SOVIET ARMY ENCIRCLING TOWN OF KRIVOI ROG

SEQUEL TO NIKOPOL’S FALL

CLEARING THE GERMANS FROM THE UKRAINE

(By Telegraph—Prem Association- -Q»pyright)

As a sequel to the fall of Nik< the Germans, moving westward, ha last town of importance in the Dn The Russians’ victory at Nikopol has completed the disorganisation of the German positions in the Ukraine and has introduced a fundamental change in the situation on the whole southern front, declares the noted Russian military commentator, Colonel Ankimov. Nineteen German divisions have been either destroyed or defeated, with heavy losses, in the past ten days. Seven divisions, three of which are tank units, were routed in the initial break-through towards Nikopol; five were cut off and wiped out in the next phase; and seven were smashed up in the Nikopol bridgehead. London, Feb. 9. Reuter says that the German defence line guarding the Nikopol bridgehead was a powerful one, with 50 heavy 75 millimetre guns or dug in tanks to every mile. This defence was broken up mainly by Russian mortars. Tank spearheads, protected by motorised units, then pushed through a steep ravine and smashed a gap in the German defences. Infantry followed up where, owing to the state of the terrain, the use of lorries and horses was impossible. The Russians dragged guns through thick mud and anti-tank men held ground where guns could not be placed. • The Germans were in utter panic when the Nikopol bridgehead collapsed, which was partly due to efficient Russian air support, says the British United Press Moscow corres-

Loudon, Feb. 10. upol. on the lower Dnieper River, ive halt* encircled Krivoi Hog, the ieper bend still in German hands. pondent. Stormoviks sprayed the fleeing Germans with machine guns like spraying locusts with chemicals. From a few feet they swept over the Germans, who in a mad rush succeeded in gaming the river. Germans in boats and those clinging to logs were flung into the water with a whiff from the fighters’ machine guns. Those who reached the west bank faced Russian guns trim Nikopol. The correspondent describes the destruction of the bridgehead as ranking with one of the bloodiest massacres in history. Referring to other fronts, the- cor-, respondent says that the 10 German divisions trapped in the Kanev pocket are desperately holding out against the ever-tightening Russian ring, in the hopes of succour from their com- I rades fighting west of Svenigorodka. The Russians have intercepted almost hysterical messages between von Mannstein and the entrapped forces. The Germans west of Svenigorodka are throwing in more and more tanks in almost continuous onslaughts, whereby they hope to relieve the encircled troops. The Russians so far have held off these attacks, which front line dispatches say have reached a new pitch of intensity. A third trap is about to close around the beaten Carman divisions at Luga. The Russians in this area, after advancing to the north bank of the Oredezh River along a broad front, have now crossed the river at a point 10 miles north-east of Luga and have captured Oredezh, a district centre. The Oredezh River is a tributary of the Luga River and joins it 10 miles i north-east of Luga.